Little Bit in Love
by xXShelraXx
Summary: "Surely, he would not have lead her on, knowing how much any physical contact would mean to her,... If he did not reciprocate her feelings for him?" Lisbon ponders about Jane, both day and night. Tag to 5x22, Red John's Rules.


**A/N That episode guys. Just, holy cow. Lots of Red John, and lots and lots of Jisbon thrown in there. Bruno Heller, mark my words, if they don't get together you shall have a whole fandom's wrath to deal with.**

**So this is my thoughts and feelings and speculations all woven into a fanfic about the major Jisbon moments in this episode.)**

Little Bit in Love

"_And let's see... You were laying in bed, thinking of Patrick! Eh? I think you're a little bit in love with him. But he's so cold and secretive. That's tough._"

The words rang through Lisbon's mind once again that day as she began to take the climb of stairs to Jane's attic in order to ask him just what in the name of Red John was stored on that disk.

Had Shawn been right? Well, Lisbon would admit that she was thinking of Jane last night, but it wasn't because she was in love with him.

No, of course not, Lisbon dragged the thought out of her mind. She was just worried. That's all. Worried about Jane's safety and her safety and the team's safety.

But then again, neither she nor Jane had brought it up afterwards, except for the cold and secretive part... Then a thought crept up into Lisbon's mind before she could stop it.

What if neither of us brought up my feelings because it was maybe a little too close to the truth? Lisbon asked herself.

Because, she had to admit, one does not think of a simple coworker or friend late at night without at least having a tiny crush on them. Nor do they dream about said coworker or friend without free falling for them (and Jane had been making appearance in Lisbon's dreams very frequently in the past weeks).

And so Lisbon grudgingly accepted the fact that maybe she was indeed just a little bit in love with the extraordinary Patrick Jane.

But still, she reminded herself, it does not mean that he loves me too, at least not in a romantic way. But he had smiled a little when Shawn said it... that was a smile, right? not a grimace? That would really be a horrible tragedy if it was a grimace. But I can't let this get in the way of work, she scolded herself.

Nope, nope, nope, nope. No.

All of these thoughts occurred in the matter of the two minutes it took for Lisbon to climb the stairs to the attic, and her last thoughts were thought as she briskly knocked on the attic door.

Jane slid open the thick door, looking down at Lisbon while his eyes asked her what she needed.

"What's on the disk?" Lisbon asked softly, her heart beating a bit quicker than usual (though not only because of the anticipation of finding out the disk's contents).

Jane still said nothing, but merely stepped back to allow Lisbon entrance. Lisbon stepped inside and began to make her way over to the chair by where the laptop was placed with a notoriously familiar face plastered on it. Hopefully, Lisbon thought, this was what the disk was and not Jane's desktop wallpaper.

Suddenly, something happened that nearly stopped Lisbon in her tracks. In fact, had Red John himself walked into the attic and announced his identity, Lisbon most likely would not have noticed him, and all because of Jane.

Though there was no furniture, no obstacles that could have kept Lisbon from easily reaching the laptop, Jane had put his arm around her to guide her, first brushing against her hip then lightly skimming her waist for his hand to lie on Lisbon's back.  
So, needless to say, Lisbon's nerves tingled everywhere, particularly the spot on her midback where Jane's hand was currently residing, and the places on her waist and hip that his fingers had lightly touched.

Lisbon was a smart woman, however, and was determined not to show how fuzzy and warm Jane made her feel. She was able to sit down without any too embarrassing blushes engulfing her face.

Well, at least that's what she hoped.

Xxxx

Later that night, Lisbon lay in bed, thinking of Jane, and, more particularly, what he had meant by guiding her when there was no need.

Did Jane mainly mean to comfort her because of what was to come?  
But then again, Jane would not simply help her that tenderly for no good reason. Though Jane may or may not be the most righteous man, Lisbon knew he was a good one, and he would touch her just to lead her on, especially since he knew how much any contact would mean to her. Maybe he meant more than comfort, Lisbon wondered (for he simply would not do such a thing if he did not reciprocate her feelings).  
Or perhaps she was overreacting.

She might never know.

Xxxx

Jane lay in bed the night of the disc, replaying Lorelei's message inside his head over and over again.

However, he soon let his thoughts wander. And when his thoughts wander, they tend to wander to Lisbon (or Angela, but lately they have been straying back to Lisbon time and time again, not that he would ever admit it, though).

He wondered if what Shawn had said was true. Did Lisbon love him? Even if just a small candle, was the flame still there?

Jane quickly made a mental note to remove all cheesy metaphors comparing Lisbon's love to a fire out of his memory palace.

She had blushed, a little, when he said it, hadn't she? Or perhaps Jane was just imagining it.

Later, though, when Jane had admitted to being cold and secretive, he had to say he kind of was hoping that Lisbon would mention something about the other half of Shawn's statement, maybe casually state, "Oh, and he was right about my feelings towards you. I love you, Patrick."

Though in his heart Jane knew Lisbon had never and would never be that forward with him.

Nope, they both were cowards.

Jane knew, though, that Lisbon deserved to know that he felt the same way, that Lorelei was correct and he was a little bit in love with her. Or a lot of bits, but you get the picture.

So he decided a simple plan, based on his knowledge of all things Teresa Lisbon. He decided when the senior agent came up to see the disk, he would simply put his arm around her to lead her to the desk. He would then proceed to read her and determine what she felt from this physical contact.

If Lisbon did have feelings for Jane, the mentalist determined, he would sense waves of embarrassment with joy interweaved in them.

If she didn't return Jane's feelings, well, Jane simply didn't want to think about that. An aura of disgust would most likely be present.

So when Lisbon showed up, he allowed her in (keeping his cool reasonably well, he thought), and casually draped his arm around her waist, then decided to go a safer route and move to the middle of her back.

And when Lisbon had sat down, Jane confirmed his wanting. Lisbon was blushing rather profusely, despite her efforts to hide it.

Jane wanted to grin, but then the video started.

And there were much more serious things to worry about.


End file.
